Performance and mass transfer evaluation of PEM fuel cells with straight and wavy parallel flow channels of various wavelengths using CFD simulation

Abstract

Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) have the potential to replace conventional fossil fuels. The flow channel is a key part of the PEMFC that facilitates reactant mass transfer into the gas diffusion layer, catalyst layer, and membrane. Overall performance of the PEMFC mostly depends on the efficient mass transfer, pressure drop, and water management within this channel. In the straight channel mass transfer occurs by diffusion while in the wavy channel mass transfer occurs through convection. In this study, the performance and mass transfer evaluation of a PEMFC with a straight flow channel and wavy flow channels of different wavelengths (λ = 4, 4.8, and 6) were compared using a commercial solver (STAR-CCM+16.04). The simulation results were validated experimentally and the results were in good agreement. Comparison of the simulation results established that the mass transfer through diffusion and convection was more enhanced in the case of wavy channels.